


So, do you like pirates?

by FireBurnsBrighter



Series: A Study in Friendship [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Birthdays, Deductions, Fluffy Johnlock, Johnlock - Freeform, M/M, Pirates, alternate beginning, friends - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-31
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2017-11-23 02:56:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/617316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireBurnsBrighter/pseuds/FireBurnsBrighter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Watson is 10 years old, and is going to meet the ever-elusive Sherlock Holmes! They become very good friends based on their mutual fondness of pirates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Almost Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate Beginning.  
> I was hoping to write another fic after this through their teens, then another of adulthood in which over the two they try to figure out feelings for each other and such like. Which is why this is in series.  
> Though the likelihood of me getting around to that isn't very high. Sorry.

John Watson was an intelligent boy of 9 years and 364 days. Tomorrow he would be 10 years old.

And he was not happy about that.

His father had always told him that when a boy reached the age of ten, he became a man. John, however, simply did not  _want_ to be a man. He knew from what his older male relatives had told him that with being a man came great responsibilities- tying his own shoelaces, remembering his own packed lunch box and PE kit, doing more house work to help his parents, and such like.

So when, indeed, his mother greeted him with a smile the day before his birthday and reminded him of tomorrows' date, John had done the only thing he had seen appropriate to do. He cried.

'B-but mum!' he wailed, 'I don't want to be old and responsible! I don't want to be like you yet!'

His mother comforted him, despite the fact that he had called her old.

'Now, now, John. Stop crying. That won't help anything. Tell me, what's wrong with being responsible?'

'I just don't wanna be!' he continued to weep.

'Don't worry, John, it'll be fine. That's right, now there..' She hushed him, as the crying subsided.

'I've got something to tell you that'll cheer you up!' John peeked at her from behind his hands.

'What?' he sniffed.

'We're having a party for your birthday!' she smiled at him enthusiastically.

'Wha- a party?!' he was excited despite himself.

'That's right. It's meant to be a surprise, so don't tell your father that I told you!' John shook his head vigorously.

'Who's coming? To my party? Did you invite my friends?'

'Of course, whats a party without friends?'

'So Tommy's coming? And Jamie? And Abby?'

'Yes, yes, all of them. And do you remember mummy and daddy's friends, Mr and Mrs Holmes?'

John nodded his head. Mr and Mrs Holmes had went to school with his mother and father, and every once in a while then would drop in for some tea and a chat. Mr and Mrs Holmes had two sons. One was about 2 years older than him, and came with his parents to visit sometimes. John had tried to be nice to him, offering him the best action man to play with, but he hadn't wanted to play. John had then offered him the last piece of red Lego when they were building towers. He had taken it without saying thank you. John, as a last hope, had then asked him if he wanted to play pirates with him. Mycro-something-or-the-other had outright laughed and said that pirates were for babies.

John had never met the other Holmes boy, who was only half a year younger than him. He wondered why that was, and when he had last asked Mr and Mrs Holmes they had said,

'He could be planning to blow up the world and we wouldn't know. Actually, that's something he's quite likely to do. Either that or he'll be playing pirates again.'

John hadn't asked about him again, but wanted to meet him even more now that he knew he liked pirates too.

'Yes, I remember them.' He said in reply to his mother. 'Why?'

'Because I invited them to the party tomorrow for a catch-up. Their son is coming too, so you can play with him and all your other friends.'

'Oh no! Not My-snot! I mean.. Mycroft! Why does he have to come?! He doesn't like me and the feeling is mutual.'

John was proud of himself for using the word 'mutual' for a moment. Then he got back to his point.

'He'll just make fun of me!'

'No, John sweetie, their other son. Sherlock, I think his name is? Strange kid, apparently, but please try to make him feel comfortable with everyone. Don't ignore him, okay?'

Sherlock? The mysterious boy who liked pirates? If he liked pirates, John thought, they would definitely be friends.

'Okay, mum.' John smiled.

Maybe being 10 wouldn't be so bad after all!


	2. Pirates and Deductions

Today was John's birthday. He was ten years old. Practically a man now, as his father would say.

Today was also the party, which John was growing more and more impatient for. Especially since he wasn't allowed to open his presents until everyone got here...

The doorbell went, and John looked at the clock. 5 minutes to 2! Whoever this was was early!

John almost skipped to the door, and when he opened it he saw Mr and Mrs Holmes. But he couldn't see Sherlock anywhere?!

'Um, hi. Where's.. Sherlock?'

John knew he was being slightly rude, but he wanted to see him and be able to know if they could be friends or not. John liked having friends.

'I'm. Here. Excuse me mother.' The boy that John assumed to be Sherlock squeezed past his parents. 'Hello.' He stuck his hand out.

'Hi!' John shook his hand with a smile. 'I'm-'

'John Watson. Ten years old. You like pirates and Spider-man, and you have one dog. Your favorite school subjects are PE and science. You have one sister, older, you find her very annoying. You had toast and jam for breakfast this morning and haven't eaten anything else since, and cannot wait to eat your birthday cake. Am I wrong?'

John looked at Sherlock with his mouth open, then at Mr and Mrs Holmes. They shook their heads.

'He's been practicing that for a while. This dueling-'

'Deducing' Sherlock interrupted

'Yes, and he likes to try it on anyone new he meets. Don't pay attention to it. Now, if you'll excuse us..'

They left to look for John's mum and dad.

'Wow' began John 'That was amazing!'

Sherlock smiled. 'I usually get 'go away' more often'

'How did you know-'

'I didn't know, I noticed'

'Okay, well then, how did you noti-'

'Well, there are banners with 'Happy Birthday John' all over them, and I already knew we were coming to the Watson home. You are wearing a badge that says '10' on it, confirming your age and the fact that they were your banners. The birthday decorations are all pirate themed, obviously to your liking, and you are wearing a Spider-man top, well worn which indicated that you wear it often. I know you like PE because of all the sports stuff outside, used recently as they are dry whilst the grass is wet. I know you like science because your jotter is sitting open over there and it has lots of smiley face stickers. You wouldn't perform well if you didn't enjoy the subject. You have glitter on your face, which I know is from your sister as she is covered in it. She pinched your cheek or something, and you wiped it of in disgust. You still have toast crumbs on the side of your mouth, and you keep looking at the cake. You want to eat it. Am I wrong?'

'Um.. no. No, your right.'

Sherlock smiled again, obviously happy. 'I'm Sherlock, by the way. Happy Birthday.'

Just then the doorbell rang again, and John opened it to see that all his friends had arrived at once.

Everyone came in, and John received all his presents.

He began to open them, guessing who's was who's, as they didn't have labels.

John opened the first one, which had a nice bow on top.

The box inside contained a packet of football trading cards and a five pound note.

'Cool! Who's this from?!' John looked around

'Before anyone could answer, Sherlock looked around the group in a second, then pointed to Tommy.

'Him.'

Everyone looked at Sherlock strangely, whispering 'how did he know?'

John just smiled. He thought it was cool.'

John continued opening presents, and Sherlock pointed out who the giver was before anyone could ask or own up. Everyone but John seemed to be sick of it.

Every present was opened, including a board game from Abby, some clothes and money from his parents, and an awesome hat from Jamie.

Everyone looked at Sherlock. Everyone had apparently given John a present but him. He looked around then seemed to remember something.

He took out a parcel from his pocket and gave it to John.

'You didn't have to you know, we're not really friends...'

'Of course not. I don't  _have_  friends. But nevertheless, my mother insisted I give you something. I chose it.'

John unwrapped the rectangular package, and it turned out to be 2 books. One on science for learners and one on,

'Pirates.' John looked at Sherlock and they both burst out laughing.

'You guys are  _so_ babyish!' complained Abby.

But then John's mother came through with the lit birthday cake and everyone sang.

* * *

Later, when all his friends had been picked up and only the Holmes family remained, John sat beside Sherlock and opened the book on pirates.

'I can't believe you, of all people, like pirates, Sherlock.'

'And what, exactly, is improbable about me liking pirates? And for the record, I don't just like them, I want to _be_  one.'

'Really?'

'Yes, John. I would like to be a pirate.'

They looked at each other and laughed again.

They spent the rest of the evening talking and playing and trying to prove who was smarter. Sherlock won, of course, but John found that he didn't mind.

By the time all of their parents were finished talking, it was nearly midnight, and John and Sherlock had both fallen asleep on John's bedroom floor, surrounded by books and games.

'Aww, look at them. I never thought they'd find friends in each other. Sherlock doesn't have many, well,  _any_  friends.' Mrs Holmes sighed.

Mr Holmes went to move Sherlock, but Mrs Watson said

'You've probably had too much wine to drive tonight. You can sleep in the spare room.'

'That makes more sense. What about these two. We should move them, they'll hurt their backs on that floor.'

Between the four of them, the managed to get John and Sherlock onto John's Spider-man bed, both still soundly asleep.

They all left the room leaving John and Sherlock in companionable silence till morning.


End file.
